Unilever today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to sell 19 food brands sold across North America to ACH Food Companies, Inc., of Memphis, Tennessee, a subsidiary of Associated British Foods plc. Unilever will receive €406 million (US$360 million) in cash in a transaction expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2002, subject to regulatory approvals and certain other conditions.

Today, Unilever in the Netherlands and Golden Hope Plantations Berhad in Malaysia announced that discussions between themselves regarding the sale of Unilever’s refinery business at Unimills, Zwijndrecht, the Netherlands to Golden Hope have reached a sufficiently advanced stage to start legal procedures with the Works Council and Trade Unions.